In this episode, we open our diary of voices from the past for a conversation with now retired Dr. Francoise Noel, recorded in 2014 when she taught history at Nipissing University. This was part of the Cogeco Cable series “Life Is.” Noel from Manitoba, taught in several places before being recruited by Bob Surtees for Nipissing. She taught at Nipissing for around three decades before retiring. Among the topics discussed are; her reprinting of Ansen Guard’s 1909 book, “Gateway to Silver land,” her social history, “Family and Community Life in Northeastern Ontario: the Interwar Years,” published in 2009 and dedicated to Surtees, “On Nipissing: Historic Waterway Wilderness Playground” published in 2015. Please excuse any dated references.